Los Angeles garage-rock band, The Morlocks have a new album coming out next week. The Morlocks Play Chess is a full album covering various songs and artists from Chicago’s legendary Chess Records label. Chess Records was an American record label based in Chicago, Illinois. It specialized in blues, R&B, gospel music, early rock and roll, and occasional jazz releases. Chess Records played a pivotal role in the birth of the Chicago electric blues movement of the postwar era, launching the careers of legends ranging from Muddy Waters to Howlin’ Wolf to Little Walter. Chess’ biggest claim to fame however has to be that it was the home to Chuck Berry.
So why an album full of covers by bands on Chess Records? The band explains.
“Early Rhythm & Blues had a raw and visceral quality. The rhythmic elements are primal — you can feel them in your guts. They’re readily absorbed by garage bands who then reinterpret them according to their own life experiences. And it’s not just the beat that grabs you, when Bo wrote a song it was boastful and brash and had tons of gritty attitude- a perfect match for a group like
us!“Chess Records put out a significant portion of the early rock ‘n’ roll records that became the blueprint for all rock music that would follow – Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Howlin’ Wolf and Bo Diddley, Without Chess Records, we wouldn’t exist. Final!”
The band is offering a free download of the song, “Killing Floor” which you can grab here. The album is slated for release on August 23rd on vinyl, CD, or digital download.
